Hooghly, 14 March (H.S.): A fire broke out at a warehouse in the Surer Pukur area of Chandannagar in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on Friday night, officials said.

Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot and efforts were underway to douse the flames, they said.

According to local residents and fire brigade sources, the warehouse was used to store scrap materials. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Residents said they heard a series of loud explosion-like sounds, suspected to be gas cylinders, following which several people rushed out of their homes and noticed the warehouse engulfed in flames with thick black smoke billowing from the site.

Locals initially tried to control the blaze before informing the fire brigade.

Fire officials said the situation was brought under control after the deployment of three engines.

Angry residents alleged that iron-cutting work was carried out inside the warehouse, causing noise and foul smell in the area, and claimed that several vehicles were gutted in the fire.

They also alleged that despite repeated requests to shut down the warehouse earlier, no action had been taken by the authorities.

Chandannagar Deputy Mayor Munna Agarwal and local councillor Mohit Nandi visited the spot after receiving information about the incident.

Agarwal said there had been no prior complaints regarding the warehouse and that the cause of the fire was being investigated.

No casualties have been reported so far, though residents claimed that a similar fire had occurred at the warehouse earlier as well.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey